Game 20 of 162
Mets 9 - Giants 4 (Oracle Park, San Francisco)
Mets record: 13-7
Mets streak: Won 2
WP - Kodai Senga (3-0)
LP - Sean Manaea (0-1)
Seat on the Korner: Jeff McNeil
We select the star of the game and virtually invite him to a Seat on the Korner, just as Ralph Kiner used to do for his studio postgame show on WOR-channel 9 broadcasts in the early decades of the Mets.
Jeff McNeil had a perfect night at the plate, reaching base in all five appearances. Among McNeil's five successful at-bats was his first home run of the season. The Flying Squirrel also singled twice, walked, and was hit by a pitch. Thursday’s showing was a much-needed one for the reigning batting champion, as McNeil has struggled to start his 2023 campaign.
Need to Know
After four flawless innings of no-run, two-hit baseball, Kodai Senga ran into trouble in the bottom half of the 5th, allowing four earned runs on two homers and two walks. This proved to be Senga’s final inning of the night leaving him with a stat line of 5 innings, 4 runs, 4 walks, and 4 strikeouts.
Pete Alonso continued his torrid pace at the plate, lifting his 9th home run of the season just over the left field wall. Alonso finished the night with 2 hits and 4 RBIs.
Brandon Nimmo’s red-hot road trip continued, as the center fielder pitched in 3 more hits and is now 8 for his last 10.
Eduardo Escobar took advantage of his opportunity vs a left-handed pitcher, notching his 2nd home run of the season
Starling Marte, after being removed from Wednesday’s game in Los Angeles, sat out tonight due to a neck injury. Luis Guillorme took Marte’s spot in the lineup tonight, moving McNeil to RF.
The Mets will try to make it three wins in a row as Joey Lucchesi, who will be making his first Major League start in almost two years, takes on Giants’ right-hander Anthony DeSclafani in the second of this four-game series.
Turning Point
After nearly relinquishing a 5-0 lead at the midway point of the game, the Mets desperately needed an offensive boost. In the subsequent innings, Jeff McNeil and Pete Alonso put the Mets squarely back into the driver's seat. McNeil's 6th inning solo shot extended New York’s lead to two, while in the following stanza, Alonso’s third and fourth RBIs of the night gave the Metropolitans enough cushioning to preserve their 13th win of the season.
Three Keys
Senga’s ace in the hole
Despite allowing more hits on his ghost/forkball tonight than across his first three starts, Senga’s put-away pitch is still as elite as ever. Hitters have yet to register a hard-hit ball (exit velocity over 95 MPH) against it, while a 61% swing-and-miss rate makes it good for 9th among all Major League pitches.
Alonso’s 2023 adjustments
It’s safe to say Pete Alonso has optimized his swing. The burly first-basemen has never lacked the raw power that has seen him mash 156 home runs across 5+ seasons, but questions have always persisted about whether or not Alonso could be more than just his brute strength. As we approach the one-month mark of the 2023 season, Alonso has seen his career line drive rate increase by 3%, making him an above-average line-drive hitter. This adjustment will undoubtedly improve Alonso's batting average and make him a true all-around offensive threat.
Mets’ bullpen shines
The unheralded arms of the Mets pitching staff were at it once again, turning in yet another solid performance. Brooks Raley, John Curtiss, Drew Smith, and Jeff Brigham combined to throw four innings of shutout baseball in relief of Senga. The quartet allowed only two hits while walking none and striking out one.